Group claims GOP refuses to educate public about new healthcare laws

A local group is accusing North Carolina's Republican leadership of not helping people understand what they need to do with new healthcare laws.

Protect Your Care N.C. complains that local officials could be doing more to educate North Carolina residents. They also accuse leaders of intentionally trying to keep the Affordable Care Act from succeeding by refusing federal dollars.

"They're missing in action. They're not out there talking about how we can find affordable health care; they're not helping their consumers obtain the quality of life and the peace of mind that they could be doing," Candace Davies with Protect Your Care N.C. said.

Jan.1 is the last possible moment to enroll in health insurance or buy private insurance through a government marketplace without paying a penalty. Signups for the new plans start Oct. 1.

Governor McCrory says he is working on ideas to make the health care reform work better for people in the state.

"We are currently setting up many meetings with all the people impacted by the Medicaid implementation. And I'm continuing to have dialogue with Washington representatives regarding the implementation of Medicaid and the expansion and management of Medicaid costs, including following through on some waivers we have asked for," McCrory said.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services sent ABC11 a letter and attached handouts it sent to county departments on Wednesday to help employees answer people's questions.

The letter reads, "We encourage all social services agencies to allow navigators to work onsite if your facility can accommodate them."

For Davies, this is too little too late.

"Why are they in such a panic now less than two weeks until the marketplace opens all of a sudden they have a plan, all of a sudden they're going to get information because they're scared to do death that people are going to get on the marketplace. They're going to find better coverage for their families and they're going to realize they've been manipulated and misinformed," Davies said.